Legendary filmmaker James Cameron, who gave blockbuster films like ‘Titanic’ and ‘Avatar’, has finally revealed why he decided to leave America and settle permanently in New Zealand. According to Cameron, his move was not just for the beautiful plains there, but in search of a safe and rational society. Speaking on a recent episode of ‘In Depth with Graham Besinger’, Cameron revealed that his family had decided to permanently settle in New Zealand in 2020. The biggest reason behind this was the efficient management of the Covid-19 pandemic by the government there and the scientific approach of the society.
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James Cameron talks about leaving the US and settling in New Zealand
James Cameron has made it clear that his decision to move to New Zealand was not just for the beautiful views. The Avatar director explained that his family’s decision to permanently relocate to that country in 2020 was driven by its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and what he described as a more grounded, science-based society.
he recalled“I’m not there for the views, but for the peace,” Cameron said while talking about the move on the latest episode of ‘In Depth with Graham Basinger.’ The filmmaker first visited New Zealand in 1994 and said he immediately felt connected to the country’s culture and lifestyle. “I made a promise to myself. ‘I’ll come back to live here someday’.
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Cameron said conversations about relocating began several years ago and his wife, Suzy Amis Cameron, was supportive from the beginning. “When Suzy and I first got serious, she said, ‘Okay, no problem.’ She was ready,” he said. However, as their family grew and they settled into life in California, the plan required more careful consideration. “Now, later, we have kids, we have a family, we have roots in Malibu and Santa Barbara, that conversation had to change a little bit, but we said after Avatar, let’s do it.”
The director bought a farm in New Zealand in 2011 and lived in and out for about a decade before the pandemic prompted a big change. In August 2020, the family decided to “make this move as a family” and move there permanently.
Cameron praised New Zealand’s early and decisive response to COVID-19, which he compared to the situation in the US. “New Zealand completely eliminated the virus. They actually eliminated the virus twice,” he said. “The third time it came out in a mutated form, it spread. But fortunately, they already had a 98% vaccination rate.”
Cameron further said“That’s why I like New Zealand,” “People there, for the most part, are smart, unlike the US, which had a 62% vaccination rate, and that’s going down – going in the wrong direction.” He also questioned America’s larger social climate, calling the issue a matter of collective responsibility.
He asked, “Where would you rather live? A place that actually believes in science, is smart, and where people can work together toward a common goal, or a place where everyone is everyone’s enemy, is deeply divided, turns its back on science, and will fall into complete disarray if another pandemic occurs?”